Kobe Bryant

guard/forward for the LA Lakers; graduated from Lower Merion (Penn.) HS and made the jump directly to the NBA; youngest player (18 yrs., 2 mos., 11 days) ever to appear in an NBA game; became the youngest all-star in NBA history in 1998 and scored a team-high 18 points; won 3 consecutive titles with the Lakers (2000,01,02); accused of rape in 2003 but charges were dropped in 2004; scored 81 points in game against Toronto in Jan. 2006—second highest in NBA history.